‘Popping sounds at rally’: How US media tries to downplay Trump’s assassination

Former U.S. President and Republican candidate Donald Trump was swiftly evacuated from the stage during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

Gunshots were fired, and one bullet reportedly struck his right ear.

Live footage captured loud noises resembling gunfire, prompting an immediate response from Trump’s security detail.

The former president, seen with blood on his right ear, was quickly surrounded by security agents and escorted off the stage.

However, local media initially reported that Trump fell off the stage, which contrasts with live footage and other reports.

How did US media report

Despite the apparent injury, American media outlets did not explicitly mention terms like “shot,” “bullet,” or “assassination” in their initial reports. Instead, they described the incident in less alarming terms:

CNN: Trump fell from stage

Cable News Network (CNN), which is a multinational news channel and website operating from Midtown Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., portrayed a less alarming situation.

The headline “Secret Service rushes Trump off stage after he falls at rally” was initially used, downplaying the severity of the situation.

Later, CNN updated its coverage with a YouTube video titled “Trump injured in incident at Pennsylvania rally,” acknowledging the injury without specifying the cause.

The NY Times: Chaos at Trump’s rally

The New York Times, which is an American daily newspaper based in New York City, adopted the headline “Trump rushed off stage after chaos at the rally.”

The report mentioned that Trump appeared to have blood on his face as he was rushed from the stage by the Secret Service after a series of loud pops, implying but not confirming a shooting incident.

The Washington Post: Loud noise at Trump’s rally

The Washington Post, locally known as “The Post” and, informally, WaPo or WP, is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., headlined the article “Trump escorted away after loud noises at Pa. rally.”

The report detailed that former President Donald Trump was led offstage after loud noises were heard while he was speaking at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. There was no mention of a gun or assassination attempt.

MSNBC: Popping sound at Trump’s rally

MSNBC, an American news-based television channel and website headquartered in New York City, used the headline “Donald Trump safe after popping sounds heard at rally.”

The coverage focused on the safety of Trump following the sounds of gunfire, again avoiding any explicit mention of an assassination attempt.